Gangtok, Feb 08: The Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT),
an apolitical organization, on Sunday demanded unconditional
release of its 43 activists, who were arrested in connection
with yesterday's vandalism at the under-construction 280 MW
Panan hydel project site.
It also reiterated its demand for scrapping of all hydel
projects in Dzongu region of North District, a habitat of the
indigenous Lepcha people, in view of the potential damage to
the fragile ecology of the mountainous landscape and in
deference to religious and cultural sensibilities of the
Lepcha people, who revere mountains as their deities, the ACT
Chief Coordinator Tseten Lepcha said here.
He also justified yesterday's agitation at Panan project
site by the ACT activists to mark the 600th day of the relay
hunger strike being held at Gangtok against the projects.
Lepcha alleged that the district police authorities had
falsely implicated the ACT activists and picked them from
their homes in Lingdong, Passingdang and other villages of
Dzongu and subjected them to third degree torture at Mangan
police station in connection with vandalism at Panan project
site where the agitators had damaged equipments of the private
developer, Himgiri Hydro Energy Private Ltd.
North District Superintendent of Police BK Basnet said
security of the project site was being monitored on day-to-day
basis.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, February 08, 2009, 00:00